When I look at the system here and look at my position - not just as a basketball player, but when I look around me at the values of the people and the culture and compare them with the values of where I came from - I feel so blessed to be from Africa.

Raised as a Muslim Olajuwon became more devoted to the faith during this period and corrected the spelling of his name from Akeem to Hakeem. He led the league in rebounding twice (1989 1990) and blocks three times (1990 1991 1993). His college career for the Cougars included three trips to the Final Four.